Robert n



R. N. EAGLE.

Lamp.

Patented March 2., 1869.

No.v 87,480.

747'7776 S- Ses N, PETERS, mam-Lahognpm. vlammen. D. c.

RoBER'r -N;"EAGLE, or WASHINGTON,-DISTR1CT or ,CoLUMBIar Leners Pawn: No. 87,480, dma March. 2,1869. v d

y r IMPRVMENT IN LAMP-BURNERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters P atent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern V Be it known rthat I, ROBERT N. EAGLE, ofthe city and county of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement `in Lamps; vand I do hereby declare that the following is a, full and exact description thereof', reference being had to the the burner to the lamp.

Figure 1h is a horizontal section of the same. 'l Figure 1 is an elevation of the feeding-tap or stopper. V i

Figure 1i is a horizontal section ofthe same. Figure 2 is a vertical section of an ordinary lamp u with certain of my improvements applied.

4 Figure 3 is a vertical section .of an ordinary lamp with another application of certain of my improvements.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of an ordinary lamp with another modicaton of construction of the same improvements.

Figure 4 is a view ofthe bottom of a lamp.

Figure 5 is a section of part of my lamp, showing7 variations of form.` A

The same letters indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. o i

My improvements arc'especially designed for use in kerosene-lamps; and

My invention consists in constructing the body of the lamp with a reservoir surrounding the wicktube or chamber, and so arranged in relation thereto, that, when lilled, the oil will stand in the reservoir a little belew the height of the base of the burner, having a free communication with the wick, through a space between the base or termination ofthe wick-tube or chain ber and the'bottom of the lamp;

l other equivalent porous substance, to carry up the oil' from the bottom ofthe lamp to the Wick.

Also, in, combining with the sponge'and wick a porous mat, for feeding the oil to the sponge, or from the` sponge to the wick;

Also, in so constructingthe tap or stopper, which ills the hole that is used for pouring oil into the lamp, that it `may also be used for admitting air to the reservoir above the oil', to prevent the formation of a vacuum;

Also, in attaching the burner to thel lamp by a collar and catch, instead of screwing or springing it on to the neck or bodyof the lamp; A Y

Also, in marking or moulding upon lamps such letters and figures as will indicate the length of time that the lamp may be burned with a designated size of wick;4

Also,iu constructing lamps with achambertlllcd withar, or other non-conductor of heat, between the portion' of the lamp which enclosesthe wick and that which contains the supply of oil furnished to the wickchamber, -such air-chamber being open only above, and not, as in other lamps, being a continuous opening entirely through the lamp, andv surrounding the wickchamber, the said wick-chamber being, in such cases,v only connected with the body of the lamp or-oil-cham ber; and

Also, in providing an annular bridge, N, for covering or closing over the air-space E, when desired. l

In the annexed drawings- A represents the 'body of the lamp, which may be made of glass, porcelain, metal, or any other suitable material, with or without a stand to support it. 'The central portion B, forming what I will call a wick-chamber, is separated from the reservoir C, whichis intended to' contain the oil, by bending a portion ofthe shell D D sopas' to bring its lower edge nearly to the bottom of 'the body of the lam p, and yet to leayca spacebetween it and the .said bottom snfhcient for the free iiow of oil from the reservoir to the wick-chamber, as well as for the admission of the feeding-mat, hereinafter described.

The precise form into which the portion D D shall be bent is immaterial; it may be as shown in tig. 1, or as shown in either the blue or red lines iniig. 5, or by a longer curve, according to fancy, the only essential feature being that it shall subdivide the body of the lamp into ,two compartments, which l' term, respectively, theleservoir and wick-chamber, the latter being ofa size suiiicient to supply the demands of the wick, and the. former to contain oil enough to correspond with the graduation of the lamp to a burner of any given size, as will be hereinafter more fully described, said coml'iartments being connected by a space between the bottom of the lamp and the bottom of the depressed portion of the shell. l

The top of the wick-chamber is about on the same horizontal plane as the top ofthe reservoir, or it may be a little elevated above it, the object. being to prevent the oil from flowing over the top ofthe wickchamber, and at the same time to bring down the burner 'to a height as little as possible elevated above the oil, and also to remove the bulk of the oil from the burner, so thatit shall not be unduly heated bythe latter.

As the oil can only pass from thereservoir to' the wick-chamber through the space allotted to the'feeding-mat, viz, between the bends D D and thc bottom ofthe lamp, and as the sides ofthe wick-chamber are separated iiom'the main body of the reservoir by an air-space, E, or by this space, iilled with any other nonconductor, it follows that the heat of the burner only applies directly to the comparatively small portion of oil in the wick-chamber, and will not sensibly atiect the temperature oi the body of the oil in the reservoir, ex? cept by the slow process of circulation, and not to a degrec s'ulicent lto produce explosion.

By this arrangement, I am enabled to bring the burner close to the lamp, and yet avoid the disadvantage ordina-rily experienced, where the burner is elevated enough to avoid the imparting undue heat to the oil, resulting from the difficulty of carrying up the oil necessary to supply combustion through so great a length of wick by capillary attraction, the result of which difficulty is that the lamps in ordinary use, when the oil has been but half burned out, are found to give avery imperfect and rapidly-diminishing light.

Iumy improved lamp, however, the oil, being contained in the reservoir, will continue to supply a suioicnt amount for combustion until the oil is exhausted, because the whole height of the wick-chamber need not be more than that required for the elevation of the burner above the surface ofthe oil, as with lamps commonly constructed. f l

A is the tap or stopper, for closing an opening in the top of the reservoir C, through which the oil may be introduced to feed the lamp.

In order that the oil may be drawn from the reservoir into the wick-chamber, to supply combustion, it is' llVhen the stopper is screwed down the oil cannotl escape through the hole, nor can the gas that may be generated escape.

When it is found that the dame is becoming red, it j indicates that air must be admitted to the reservoir;

this may he accomplished by turning the stopper, so that the air may enter the reservoir through the groove a.

Insteatbof this device, a valve may be employed, sov

sustained that it will yield to the pressure of the ex tei-nal air when a partial vacuum has been caused, while it will be closed by pressure from within, so that neither the/oil nor generated gases can escape.

F is the burner, which forms no part of this invention. The one represented is the well-known Collins or sun-burner, but any form of burner in common use may be attached.

[n lamps, as ordinarily constructed, the burner screws down into a collar, permanently secured to the neck of the lamp, or by means of springs fbrmed upon the bottom of the burner, which likewise engage within the said permanent collar.

In order to enable an ordinary lamp-burner to be attached to a neck, intended to secure the burner by a catch, I propose to use an intermediate collar, G, coustructed with a female screw on its upper edge, to reeeivethe male screw ofthe burner, and fitted on its lower edge to be attached' to the neck of the lamp by acatch.

This catch may consists of a groove and slot, one or more being used, formed in the outer collar G, -which, on being passed over .corresponding projectionsl on the sides of the permanent collar, and turned either way, at right angles, on the principle of the bayonet-catch, firmly secures the collar G, and through it the burner, to the lamp, without fear of displacement, 01 of becoming inoperative after much use, as with springs engaging with and confined within the said permanent collar, which are liable to soften and become deranged by overheating. f

In ordinarylamps, where the burner has to be screwed downinto the neck of the lamp, the wick is twisted, and liable to be drawn to one side ofthe wick-tube, and thus becoming engaged or entangled with the elevatingwheel ou that side of the tube, causes disarrangement of the fibres or threads, and subsequent ascent of the wick more to one sidel of` the tube than the other. l

By my improved mode of attaching the burner, the wick may be loosely coiled in the chamber formed within the collar G, and the collar then shoved down upon the neck ofthe lamp, without altering the position of the wick in the tube.

v H is the wick. It is the ordinary fiatwick in common use in kerosene-lamps. This wick, as is well known, by capillary action draws up the oil to supply combustion.

Wicks are ordinarily made of' cotton, and theirca` pillary power, especially with oils of the class of kerosene, is limited to a few inches, and is at best imperfeet. To supply a more powerful capillary act-ion, I fill the chamber B with sponge, or other equivalent porous substance, such as cot-ton, wool loosely woveu,

felt, or other material affording capillary action.

Where sponge is used in entire pieces, they should be placed in the chamber in the position in which they grow, viz, with that part which is attached to or is nearest the rock in the native growth of the sponge, at the bottom of the chamber.

This sponge will absorb the oil, and its capillary action is sufficiently powerful, with the assistance of air supplied from time to time, or automatically, through the feeder, as already dcscribethto carry up the oil much further than a cotton wick will raise it; and if' the end or flat of the wick isallowed to rest upon the upper surface of' the sponge, it will absorb the oil carried up by the sponge,'and continue to supply a sufficient amount for combustion as long as the sponge is saturated; and this saturation will continue while the sponge remains in contact with a body of oil at the bottom of' the lamp.

For 'some purposes, as where longer and more bulky wicks than those in present use shall be employed, I so arrange the sponge, or other porous conductor, within the wick-chamber B, as to leave a bed or hollow, of depth and capacity, within its circle or fold, sufficient to contain the wick, as well as to afford increased surface for attraction of the oil, by which arrangement it will be understood that the upper partv ofthe chamber B would then be lined with the sponge, or other porous conductor, instead of being evenly filled up, as in the case where a shorter or less bulky wick might be used, and less space in the chamber B required.

lWhere the bottom of the lamp is not level, but elevated in the centre, as is commonly the case in oil-reservoirs, a mat, K, as shown in figs. l, 2, and 4, of'felt,

orother substance easily saturated, may be used, to spread over the bottom of the lamp, and to come in contact with the base of the sponge. This mat will supply oil to the sponge as long as any remains in the lamp.

In reference to the space or air-chamber E, which has already been described, and is represented in fig. l as being open at top, or forming an annular space between the top of the wick-chamber- B and the main body of the lamp or reservoir C, this form of construction is especially adapted to house-lamps, v.where the draught is uniform, and not-liable to agitation.

The effect of the said space or air-chamber, on becoming filled with motionless air, being to assist the draught of ascending currents through the burner and chimney, a modification will be essential in the construction of' lamps adapted for use in more exposed situations, such as in cars, door-ways, stores, &c.,'but which will consist mainly of a simple covering, o, for the said space or air-chamber E, either temporarily or permanently applied, of metal, or other proper material, so constructed as to allow of the escape of heated air, while precluding the possibility of undue draughts or currents of air being induced by thesaid air-space, to cause durries, or irregular supplies of air to the burner.

o, figs. l and l", represents the annular bridge just referred to, for covering the said air-space or chamber E." It may be made of metal, or other suitable material, and of any desired form or design which'will adapt it to the purposeintendcd. The drawings represent it as being a circulaidisk, loosely attached, or fitting ovei` and around the collar G, of sufcient diameter to span and cover the air-space E.

A down-turned flange, o, at the outer edge or periphery of the disk,.formed into scallops or-curtainpoints, admits the air to the said space or chamber., Simple perforations through the disk will answer the same purpose, viz, of allowingtheheated air to escape,-

and a s uticient fquant-ity to enter for afreshsupply, without allowing of undue currents to disturb the uniformdraught of the lamp. Iprefen however, the former mode of construction.

I have shown, in figs, 2,3, and 4, forms of chambers, which may he used inY common lamps, to contain the sponge or other porous conductor used. These chambersmay be made elastic, so as, on being compressed and introduced, they will bear against the bottom and top of the lamp, and by their tension hold themselves in place, with or without the aid of projections or 1'e. `cesses in the shell of the lamp.

case a porous mat, as shown in fig; 2, K, may advantageously be used, to cover the sponge, to retain the pieces in position, and prevent their-attaching to the Wick when it'was being elevated in the tube, or when the Wick was being altogether withdrawn from the lamp. Y

'Having 'provided a mode by which the oil may be entirely consumed from the body of the lamp, I am enabled to gauge my lamps, as I can readily determine how long a lamp will burn under full flame, using any given size of wick, and the lamps maybe marked accordingly, when made, as indicated at S, iig. 4, which shows that the lamp will burn six hours with an A wick. Y

The same lamp 'may also indicate, in letters and iigures, how long it will burn with wicks of various sizes, so thatthe purchaser may be enabled to determine the size or capacity ofthe lamp and Wick he should select for the object he may have in view.

The depression c', fig. 1, is formed in the top of the lamp, to receive the thumb-screw F', so that the burner may be brought nearer to the top ofthe lamp.

Having thusv described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let*` 1. The body A of a lamp, when so constructed as'toV form a wick-chamber, B, andsurrounding reservoir O, separated by a depression of the 'shell of the lamp, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the reservcir'and wick-charnber, when both are formed froml the continuous shell of the lamp, to receive the head of the thumb-screw F', substantially vas and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a lamp-body, having an annular air-chamber, E, andthe annular bridge o and o', substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

6. The combination ofthe wick, the porous capillary substance, and the mat; but this I claim only when the capillary substance is enclosed in a cage surrounded by the oil, and under and in contact with the wick, and when said'mat is used to draw the oil from points outside of the cage to the capillary substance enclosed therein.

7. In combination with a lamp-burner, having a male'screw on its lower end, and the neck of a'lamp Witnesses:

O. A. Renner, C. F. CLAUSEN., 

